370 foreign criminals evade jail with deportation deal

Recent years have seen around 370 foreign criminals in Denmark avoid part or all of their prison sentences through a legal provision, with the Immigration and Integration Ministry releasing new figures. The Foreign Minister, Kaare Dybvad Bek, expresses satisfaction and intends to expand the scheme to include more individuals. Currently, foreigners can be immediately deported from jail if sentenced to up to four months of unconditional imprisonment and have a re-entry ban, including for offenses like theft, document forgery, or drug possession. While acknowledging some criminals receive reduced sentences, Bek emphasizes the importance of ensuring their departure to prevent further crimes in Denmark but denies the reason is prison overcrowding or potential exploitation of the system. The government plans to propose legislation to further broaden the arrangement.